Marlon Samuels bags West Indies Cricketer of the Year award

Port of Spain: Middle-order batsman Marlon Samuels has been named West Indies Cricketer of the Year at the inaugural awards ceremony, which was jointly hosted by the country`s cricket Board (WICB) and the players` association (WIPA).

Samuels was also named West Indies ODI Player of the Year for his performances in the year 2012 when he scored 482 runs at an average of 32.13 with two centuries including a score of 126. Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the current number one ranked batsman in Tests, was declared West Indies Test Match Player of the Year. The award was accepted on his behalf by current West Indies Test captain Darren Sammy. Chanderpaul, who has scored 987 runs at an average of 98.70 with three hundreds and five 50s, is currently involved in this year`s English county season. Number one ranked off-spinner Sunil Narine emerged as the winner of the West Indies Twenty20 Player of the Year award with his 16 wickets at an average 16.87 at an economy rate of 6.16. He took match best figures of four for 12. West Indies emerging cricketer of the year award was given to Kieran Powell. Both West Indies Cricket Board president Dave Cameron and West Indies Players Association chief Wavell Hinds struck a cordial and united chord about the two organisations moving forward together in the best interest of country`s cricket. Cameron said he was extremely delighted and proud to have joined efforts with WIPA to host the function. `Tinidad & Tobago Express` quoted Cameron as saying that WIPA and the WICB should be "forging one united Caribbean because through cricket we can achieve". Winners at the West Indies Awards: • WI T20 Cricketer of the Year - Sunil Narine • WI ODI Cricketer of the Year - Marlon Samuels • WI Test Cricketer of the Year - Shivnarine Chanderpaul • WI Emerging Cricketer of the Year - Kieran Powell • WI Cricketer of the Year - Marlon Samuels • WI women`s Cricketer of the Year - Stafanie Taylor • WICB Lifetime Award - John Hendricks • WIPA Lifetime Award - Winston Reid • U-19 Team of the Year - Barbados • U-19 Cricketer of the Year - Jeremy Solozano (Trinidad and Tobago) • First Class Team of the Year - Jamaica • List A Cricketer of the Year - Sunil Narine • First Class Cricketer of the Year - Nikita Miller • Caribbean T20 Cricketer of the Year - Krishmar Santokie. PTI